


Take Me With You

by Carry_On_Moss



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Big family, Bisexual Jaal Ama Darav, Bisexual Male Character, Canon Universe, Domestic, Family Feels, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Friends to Lovers, Gay Male Character, Gay Ryder, Gay Scott Ryder, M/M, Meet the Family, My First AO3 Post, My First Fanfic, My First Work in This Fandom, Non-Canon Relationship, POV Scott Ryder, Queer Themes, runs in the family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-31 21:24:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12141441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carry_On_Moss/pseuds/Carry_On_Moss
Summary: I really wanted Jaal's last loyalty mission to be so much better than it was. And I wanted Jaal to be a romance option for male Ryder. So I did something about it.





	1. A Message from Jaal

Scott sighed and closed his email. Jaal had invited him to meet his mother. “So is this a friendly meeting, or what?” he muttered to himself. 

“What do you mean?” SAM asked from the corner of his desk. 

He still wasn’t used to the sensation of never actually being alone. Sure, he could tell SAM to ignore him, but more and more he was leaving SAM on so the AI could ‘experience’ his life. He wanted him to know that there was more to being a person than dodging Kett bullets and planting colony flags. 

“I like Jaal” he told the blue globe that represented his AI companion. “But I don’t know if he likes me.”

“As a romantic partner?” SAM clarified.

“Yeah.”

“And?” SAM prodded him to go on. Sometimes Scott got the distinct impression that he lacked patience for human processing speeds. Or maybe SAM was still used to talking to his father, the genius. 

Before he really thought about it, he asked “Do you miss my dad, SAM?”

“Yes and no” SAM said. “In the human context, your father is no more. But in my memory banks, he is as real and as constant as he ever was.” 

“With the exception of the memories he blocked, I can still access every heartbeat, every instruction, everything we ever experienced together. But in another sense, he’s a broken input. I relied on him for information, but now that comes to me through you. Nothing new will come from him. He is a closed loop.” 

Scott let out a long breath and leaned his head on his hand. He stared blankly at the Nomad model he’d bought on their last trip to the Nexus and tried to imagine his dad being alive and dead at the same time. Wasn’t that just like his own memory, but at quantum speed? As always, the enormity of SAM left him in awe. 

He’d been absolutely lost in his own thoughts when SAM asked, almost quietly “Ryder, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure”

“Can you tell me about your romantic attachment?” SAM asked

A surprised laugh bubbled out of him. “Yeah, okay. But I hope you already know where babies come from”

SAM was clearly annoyed at his lame joke, but continued anyway. “My experience of such attachments was a long-established relationship. Cherished, familiar, but tragic. I’ve never known the beginning of an attachment. Perspective on your feelings would place it in context.”

His crush on Jaal certainly was on the other end of the spectrum from his parents lifetime of commitment. “I like him.” he said, stupidly. “I like the way he looks, of course, and the way he talks. I think I wouldn’t like him if he wasn’t also a genuinely nice guy. He seems reliable. When he says something, I’m pretty sure it’s honest”

“Liam is also nice.” SAM said.

He had a point. 

“Liam is nice.” Scott replied “And I can’t really tell you what makes my feelings for Jaal different than my feelings for Liam. It’s not just sexual desire. Liam’s cute too, but Jaal fascinates me. I want to know everything about him. I think about him when he’s not around. I try to get as much of his time as I can when he is.”

“So people have favorite people like they have favorite foods?”

Scott laughed again. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.” They’d been talking about favorite foods the day before. It had been an equally strange conversation.


	2. Meeting the Mothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryder meets Jaal's family and they're as kind and loving as he said they would be.

They landed the shuttle in front of a huge house by human standards. There were already several other shuttles and transports around what Scott would have thought of as the yard. Sudden movement from under one of them had him reaching for a pistol that wasn’t there. He’d dressed casually for the visit to Jaal’s family house. It would have been really awkward to if he’d come in full armor. And he had no idea if Angarans thought it was rude to bring weaponry to dinner. His mom had always disapproved, so he decided to go with that. 

The movement turned out to be a Kaerkyn. It scuttled towards them, chirping loudly. Without looking back, he reached for Jaal’s arm. Jaal was clearly worried as well. His arm nearly shook under Scott’s hand. What if the thing had injured one of the children? Jaal talked about his little cousins and brothers constantly. Though small, a fully grown Kaerkyn was nothing to mess with. 

“Quickly, find a rock!” Scott yelled, determined to protect the innocent Angaran children. Jaal was quiet, clearly in shock. Maybe there were no rocks nearby. “A big stick” Scott told Jaal. Anything marginally heavy would crush the thing. Hopefully they would be fast enough to keep the chemical burns to a minimum. 

While Jaal panicked, it was closing in on them. What was he doing back there? 

“Jaal!” 

Ryder turned to see his friend doubled over with silent laughter. It took a few more seconds before Scott could clearly see the vicious Kaerkyn had a little metal plate glued to its carapace. Like an ID tag for a pet. 

He said Jaal’s name again, but this time in exasperation as the creature finally reached them and began to run in circles, chirping madly. It looked happy if that was even possible. 

“Don’t worry Mophid, I wouldn’t have let him kill you” he said to the Kaerkyn. Who’s name was Mophid. 

“You keep these things as pets?!” Scott asked with a tinge of embarrassment. 

“I have met the ham dumpster you keep in your quarters, Scott.” Jaal answered, heading for the house. 

“It’s called a ‘hamster’” Ryder said. 

“But Liam…”

“Liam was wrong.”

“How could Liam be wrong about his own lan--oh. It was a joke. I don’t get it.”

They were almost at the house and Scott knew there wasn’t time to properly explain. He’d have to toggle the translation software on and off in order to really get it right. 

He was just about to tell Jaal that they’d get to the bottom of the ham dumpster joke when they got home but an Angaran that looked about Jaal’s age opened the door and said “Hello Jaal. Hello human” in a happy tone. 

Jaal hugged the other angaran and patted him on the back before turning to Scott. “Scott, this is my uncle Baranjj; Uncle Baranjj, this is Scott my captain and my friend, whom I care deeply for.” 

Before Scott could read too much into Jaal’s flowery description of his feelings, he was enveloped in a hug by Baranjj. 

Over his shoulder he heard Jaal tell him “Scott, I forgot to say. Angarans embrace much more than humans do.”

“It’s fine” he replied even as he realized that Sara was the last person he’d hugged. 

Inside the house there were Angara everywhere, of every age. Children and Kaerkyn ran from the inside to the outside in great bands, screaming and chirping, clutching toys or sticks as they went. Sometimes one would break off from the others to tug on a nearby hand, eager to explain to whichever adult whatever it was they had to say. 

The youngest would totter after the older ones, trying to keep up so as not to be left out. Sometimes they would stumble, and sometimes they would cry. The nearest adult would pick them up and return them to the other children or pull them into their arms if it was clear they needed a break. 

It didn’t take long for Scott to draw attention. The noise of so many voices, even the movement of the entire house seemed to stop in an instant. Everyone turned to look at him while one child ran through the door and froze at the unfamiliar silence. All the children who’d been behind her collided with her back which lead to a brief shoving match. A boy who didn’t look much older than them ordered her and the other children outside and they went, casting curious looks back at the human as they did. 

Suddenly nervous under the scrutiny, Scott made an awkward wave and said “Hi” to the crowd.

“Everyone” Jaal announced “This is my Human friend Scott. He is my captain and I care for him deeply.” 

Suddenly, a handsome older woman ran into the room, her arms wide “Jaal” she laughed “I am so happy to see you, it warms my heart. I have missed you every day, my brave son.” When they embraced, it was long and filled with meaning. 

“You must be Scott” She said, turning to Ryder and throwing her arms around him. Scott leaned into this hug, not just because Angara liked the hugging. Because if there was anyone other than Jaal he’d want to hug it would be her. 

The noise level in the house started to return to normal as people went back to their conversations and activities. Somewhere, Scott could hear music start to play. 

“Ryder, this is my true mother, Sahuana Ama Darav.” Jaal told him. 

Sahuana held Scott by the shoulders, looking over his face intently. “Jaal’s told me how much he admires you.” She said. “He’s my favorite. Smart, loyal, kind, a great shot. Writes poetry, sews.”

“Mother” Jaal cleared his throat, embarrassed. 

Sahuana smiled, but continued anyway. “He is steadfast and creative. And yet, he has no partner to share his life with.”

Jaal’s next “Mother” was slightly frantic. 

Sahuana tisked at him and turned back to Scott, still holding him at arm’s length. “You deserve his admiration, I can tell. Promise me you’ll keep my son safe.”

“Of course” Scott sputtered, clearly unused to making declarations to people’s mothers seconds after arriving in their house. “I… uh.. I mean the feeling’s mutual” he added. 

Sahuana smiled broadly, but then her expression turned dark. She was looking through the open doorway behind them. 

“I am sad to say I have to go. I am needed by the resistance” She dropped her hands from Scott’s shoulders. “I so wish I could stay, but it has been a balm to my nerves to see my son again and to meet you, Scott.” 

Filled with sadness she turned and hugged Jaal again. Ryder could hardly hear her whisper “Stay clear” before she bowed her head and walked out of the house looking for all the world like she wanted to turn around, but she continued down the path and away. 

“Your mother’s in the resistance?” Scott asked.

“Yes.” Jaal answered, clearly missing her already. “She is the best code breaker on Havarl, the messages she works on are urgent and unpredictable. Frequently, she must leave without warning.” He sighed. “And every child is her favorite.”

They moved through the house greeting people and ended up in the kitchen where several Angara were cooking something that smelled amazing. 

He was introduced to a cadre of Aunts and Uncles until they got to the back of the kitchen where a tall man stood by the stove. 

“Scott” Jaal said, turning to the man “this is my mother Lathoul.”

Lathoul beamed at his son and asked “Are you going to give your friend some real food?”

They chatted amiably. It seemed like Jaal had told all his mothers how much he admired Scott. Like the others, Lathoul also hinted at how unattached his son was and Scott found himself wondering if his translator was malfunctioning or if the mothers really were insinuating that Scott should be Jaal’s partner. He felt a bubble of nervous hope that carried him through the rest of the introductions. 

Finally, Jaal lead him into a small bunker with a bed, some boxes and not much else. 

“And here’s my room.” He said, looking around, seeing the past more clearly than the present. “My tiny sanctuary,” he sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the scene I really wanted to write. After Jaal spent so much time talking about his big family and how much they loved each other, this mission was so sad because it felt like they basically ignored him. So I gave him a family that loves him.
> 
> I also made Lathoul a mother, but didn't change his gender identity because I wanted to play with the idea of motherhood and what makes a mother in an alien culture. Also what the Angara word for "mother" really means.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fan fiction I've ever written, so let me know what you think please.


End file.
